Last Ditch Effort
by Gardius
Summary: As the future burns, one boy must return to the past to create a new tomorrow. Background PokeShipping.
1. Author's Notes

**Author's Notes:**

_Illustration Credit to xXLightsourceXx. Check him out on deviantART!_

Hey everyone! This is my first ever piece of Fan-Fiction. It is based off of a plot concept that I thought up years ago; I'm only now just putting the idea to paper (or data, as it were). This is, at its core, an adventure/drama piece, though the AshxMisty PokeShipping will play a role later on. My writing style is a bit different than what you may be accustomed to on this site, as rather than writing a few, large chapters, I tend to write a very large number of smaller chapters. This Fan-Fiction will likely span between 30 and 50 chapters upon its completion, with each chapter being between 250 and 750 words. In any case, I do hope you enjoy this piece, and please be sure to review and give me your feedback.

**I do not own Pokemon, but do retain any and all applicable rights to the story, characters withheld.**

**Update 07/10/12:**

Hey everyone! Sorry for the MASSIVE delay in writing and posting Chapter 11. I recently started a new job, and it's been taking a lot of time out of my schedule. The good news is that Chapter 11 is up and Chapter 12 is in progress and should be up by October 10th, 2012. Thank you once again for the kind words and feedback, and enjoy the new chapter! Cheers!

**Update 14/06/12:**

Hey everyone! Feedback continues to be fantastic, and thanks to all of you who have reviewed and sent me messages. Sorry for the lack of updates; I was attending my University Graduation Ceremony and took a week away from home to enjoy it with friends and loved ones. Chapter 9 is now up, and I hope to have a new chapter posted every 1-3 days. Cheers!

**Update 24/05/12:**

Early feedback on the story has been overwhelmingly positive! Thank you to those who reviewed, as well as those who have sent me Private Messages. The primary area of concern that people have brought to my attention is the shortness of the chapters. Initially, I had intended to post as I write, however this may lead to highly inconsistent chapter sizes. I had originally planned to solve this problem by combining some chapters later on when everything was finished, however I will now instead be combing Chapters 1 and 2 immediately, and will strive to create chapters that are never fewer than 500 words (1000 words per chapter is the new intended target). Again, thank you for the early feedback, and enjoy Chapter 5 which will go live tomorrow (May 25th, 2012). Cheers!


	2. Future in Flames & An Unwelcome Choice

**Chapter 1: Future in Flames & An Unwelcome Choice**

"Reports indicate that the creature, having already levelled the Hoenn, Unova and Sinnoh regions, is on a direct course for the Johto region" the TV Anchor announced. "Anticipating its arrival are some of Johto's finest Pokemon Trainers, including gym leaders Clair and Pryce, who hope to succeed where all others have failed and stop this terrible menace."

A middle-aged Ash stared at the TV, his fists shaking angrily. The year was 2015. It had been 20 years since Ash had set out for his journey. Now 30, he had settled down with his wife, Misty in Pallet Town. Team Rocket was long since gone, and the world had been at peace for years. That is, until the terrifying creature showed up in Hoenn. It destroys everything in its path, including Pokemon, and absorbs the energy of the fallen, growing stronger with every attack. Hoenn was caught by surprise, and due to its isolated location, no one from the other regions could arrive to help. By the time it appeared in Unova, its strength had doubled. The Unova trainers put up a good fight, but whenever they would get the upper hand, the creature would murder and absorb the energy of fallen Pokemon, regaining control of the battle. With the power of all of Unova and Hoenn absorbed, Sinnoh never stood a chance. Ash didn't know who was alive and who was dead. There was a very good chance that all of his friends, including May, Max, Iris, Cilan and Dawn were all dead.

Misty walked over to Ash, putting her arm around him to try to calm him down. Ash wanted to fight, but knew that he was needed in Pallet Town, once the creature inevitably came to Kanto.

"I can't believe this is happening" Misty said tearfully. "Isn't there something we can do?"

"There is" said a familiar voice.

Ash and Misty both spun around, coming face-to-face with an old friend

"Mewtwo!" Ash exclaimed

"Long time no see Ash. You as well, Misty" said Mewtwo.

"Mewtwo! You said there was something we can do to help?" Misty asked.

"Yeah Mewto! We'll do anything to stop this…this thing!" Ash exclaimed.

"Unfortunately, our timeline is doomed. But we may be able to save another" said Mewtwo.

"Timeline? What do you mean by that?" asked Misty.

"Our world is a single timeline. A single string of events that is constantly moving forward. Nothing can be done to change the course of our timeline. However, if someone were to be sent back in time, they could create an alternate timeline. One where the creature is stopped before it has a chance to get this powerful" explained Mewtwo.

"I'll go!" shouted Ash. "I would love to get my hands on that thing!"

"That is noble of you Ash. However, the person we send back needs to be unrecognizable to your past self. Whoever goes needs to work alongside the Ash and Misty of the past in order to defeat the creature in its weaker state. As well, the trip is one-way only. Meaning whoever goes can never return" Mewtwo stated sadly.

"Then, who should we send?" Misty asked.

Mewtwo looked down at the ground sadly. "I've given it a great deal of thought" he stated. "The person will need to be a talented trainer, yet someone who is young enough to enjoy the new future that they will create. The person I recommend…is your son."

**To be Continued in Chapter 2: Preparations**

**(To be Released on May 23rd, 2012)**


	3. Preparations

**Chapter 2: Preparations**

A stunned silence crept across the room. Both Ash and Misty's eyes were wide as saucers, with nothing but short stuttering gasps escaping their lips. Finally, after what seemed like hours, Misty broke the silence.

"No…please not our son! Please not Katoshi!" Misty screamed.

"I'm sorry, Misty. I can't imagine how painful this is for you" Mewtwo replied. "However, for the benefit of another world, and your son's future, it is the only option. I am truly, deeply sorry."

Misty couldn't hold back her sorrow any longer and collapsed into Ash's chest, tears streaming down her now-red cheeks. Ash, who had remained completely still through this latest exchange, spoke at last.

"I agree" he responded, trying to sound as confident as possible.

Shocked, Misty pushed off of Ash and slapped him in the face with all of the strength she could muster.

***SMACK***

"HOW COULD YOU? How can you even think about giving up our son?" Misty shouted.

Ash, rubbing his now-swollen cheek, softy replied, "to give our son, and our other selves, the future we always wanted. Remember our dreams of travelling the world? Seeing all of the beauty and wonder that it had to offer? These are things that we can't hope to achieve now. By sending Katoshi back, not only do we give him a chance to have a long and fulfilling life, but we give our past selves the chance to live the life that we always dreamed. I know this is hard, but it's no time to be selfish."

Ash rubbed Misty's soft cheek, comforting her as best as he could. Slowly, Misty turned to Mewtwo.

"We agree to your plan, Mewtwo" Misty stated. "What next?"

"Now" Mewtwo replied, "we prepare."

**To be Continued in Chapter 3: Closing In**

**(To be Released on May 24th)**


	4. Closing In

**Chapter 3: Closing In**

_1 Month Later…_

In the grass just outside Pallet Town, two trainers are engaged in a heated Pokemon battle. On one side stands the raven haired Ash Ketchum, and his mighty Charizard. On the other side stands a young boy whom bares a striking resemblance to Ash, though with bright red hair and blue eyes inherited from his mother. Beside this boy, young Katoshi Ketchum, was his Dragonair, which he had received from his parents as a Dratini when he turned 10. The intense training that Ash had been subjecting him to had recently caused it to evolve into Dragonair, much to his delight.

"Charizard, use Flamethrower!" Ash shouted. A large stream of fire erupted from the salamander's mouth, hurtling towards his target.

"Dragonair, dodge it!" shouted Katoshi. Dragonair used its tail to springboard over the fire stream.

"Charizard, grab it in the air and hit it with Seismic Toss!" Ash countered. Charizard rose into the air and flew towards Dragonair, grabbing it with its sharp claws. Pulling Dragonair close to its body, Charizard flew straight into the air, before rotating several times and plunging back towards the ground.

"Dragonair, no!" Katoshi shouted.

***BAM***

A limp Dragonair lay motionless on the ground while Charizard stood tall, letting out a triumphant roar.

"Katoshi!" Ash yelled. "You can't give up that easily! Remember your training and be prepared to react to any situation! No attack is bulletproof; there is always a way out!"

"Sorry, dad," Katoshi replied, tiredly. "Can we take a break now? We've been at this for hours. Dragonair is too tired to continue."

"You're right," Ash replied. "Dragonair has had enough. We'll take a break and grab some dinner, but your training for today isn't over yet."

As Ash and Katoshi headed towards the house, they saw a familiar figure standing beside Misty. Mewtwo had returned, and he looked worried.

"I think you had better watch the news, Ash," Mewtwo stated, as Misty looked down at the ground, clearly upset.

"_This is Gabby and Ty reporting from the Kanto Power Plant. We are receiving reports that New Bark Town, the last remaining stronghold of the Johto Resistance, has fallen. At this time, all inhabitants of Johto are presumed dead. We have also just received some satellite images of what remains of the creature's previous target, Violet City. We warn you, these images are graphic in nature, and may be difficult to watch."_

Pictures of Violet City, engulfed in flames, flashed on the screen. Human bodies were everywhere; Misty covered Katoshi's eyes so he wouldn't have to witness the horrible scenes. There were no Pokemon in any of the pictures; they had all likely been absorbed by the creature.

"_Based on the trajectory of the creature, and its past movements, experts in Kanto expect it to arrive within the next 7 days. It is believed that its first target will be Cerulean City."_

Misty fell to her knees, as Ash and Katoshi tried to console her, though they knew it would be a futile effort.

"_Joining us at this time is Gary Oak, Commander of the Kanto Resistance. Mr. Oak, what can Kanto's Pokemon Trainers do to counter this threat?"_

"_At this time, we ask that all Gym Leaders, past and present, return to their respective cities and prepare for attack," Gary stated. "We also ask that all Pokemon Trainers whom specialize in particular Pokemon types please report to any gym which also specializes in your chosen type. For those whom do not have a type specialization, we ask that you remain in your home city and prepare to defend it. People have asked me about what kind of strategy we should employ against this creature. Frankly, this is the only strategy we have. If we attack at once, we risk losing everyone in a single battle. If we defend each city in groups, we risk being underpowered. I wish I had more promising news, but sadly, I do not. We are all that stands between that creature and the end of the world. I wish everyone the best of luck, and may God have mercy on us all."_

"Gary never was good at delivering news," Ash retorted, as he turned off the television. "I suppose you can't fault him for telling the truth, though."

"Ash," Misty spoke weakly. "You heard what Gary said. All Gym Leaders are to return to their cities. I have to go an-"

"NO!" Ash shouted, as his fist pounded on the table. Tears began swelling up in his eyes. A hush fell upon the room, until Misty wrapped her arms around Ash and broke the silence.

"Ash, a very wise and brave man once told me that now is not the time to be selfish," Misty said softly. "I have to go. I have to try to defend my home town. Besides, the longer I can delay that creature, the longer you'll have to prepare Katoshi."

Ash spun around and wrapped Misty in a tight embrace.

"Please stay until tomorrow," Ash wept. "One last family dinner; one last night together, before you go."

"Okay, Ash," Misty replied, tears welling up. "I'll wait until tomorrow."

Katoshi, looking defeated, sunk onto the couch, staring off into the distance. He had been training for this for the past month, 12 hours or more a day, every day. But it always seemed distant. Now, the time was almost upon him. Soon he would be saying goodbye to his mom, his dad, and his world forever. Lost in his thoughts, he was snapped back to reality by Mewtwo, who had begun to speak.

"I'm afraid I bring some news as well," Mewtwo stated. "I have been monitoring the creature ever since it destroyed Hoenn. What has always bothered me is that it would give off two different energy signatures; one Pokemon, and one Human. When it was on its way to New Bark Town, I confronted it face to face. The creature looked at me, and gave a menacing grin before stating how happy it was to see me again. I was taken back at first, but vaguely recognized the voice. As it moved to attack me, I realized who this creature was; or some of it at least. That creature was manifested by my creator. That creature is Giovanni."

**To be continued in Chapter 4: Revelations & Goodbyes**

**(To be Released on May 25th, 2012)**


	5. Revelations & Goodbyes

**Chapter 4: Revelations & Goodbyes**

"Giovanni?" Ash shouted. "How can that thing have ever been human?"

"It was a while before I believed it myself, Ash" Mewtwo replied. "However, it appears that becoming the unholy path of destruction we now see before us was Giovanni's trump card. When the world would not bow to him and accept him as their ruler, he moved towards measures which were more and more violent and erratic. However, with every new plan, you were there Ash, standing in his way. When you defeated Team Rocket, you destroyed the last of his mental stability. It appears that, following Team Rocket's demise, Giovanni went into hiding with a few of his top scientists; many of whom were responsible for helping to create me. They had spent years gathering DNA from every Pokémon that they could, and found a way to splice it with Giovanni's. The result is the creature that has now brought about the end of the world."

"But if his body contains the DNA of so many Pokémon, why does Giovanni insist on absorbing Pokémon?" Misty asked.

"I believe that, while the Pokémon DNA did provide him with the ability to utilize Pokémon attacks, it did not provide him with the power needed to effectively use them. That's where the Pokémon come in. By killing them and absorbing their power, Giovanni can harness it and turn it against other Pokémon, creating a vicious cycle of murder without end. Giovanni no longer cares about ruling this world; he now merely seeks to end it."

After taking a few moments to take in this new information, Mewtwo left the Ketchum residence, as they sat down to eat what would be their last dinner as a family. In light of the recent developments, Ash decided to end the training for the day. That night, the Katchums stayed up late playing board games. Finally, at 1am, Katoshi went to bed. Little sleep was involved, however; he spent most of the night crying softly into his pillow.

With Katoshi in bed, Ash and Misty went to their room. They had planned one more night of passion together as husband and wife. However, when Misty returned from changing into something 'more comfortable,' she found Ash passed out on the bed, exhausted from the day of training. Misty smiled at the site of her loving, sleeping husband. She fought back tears as she crawled into bed, knowing that it would be the last time she would see that sleeping face.

The next morning, Samuel Oak and his wife Delilah Ketchum-Oak came by to see Misty off, and to help console Ash and Katoshi. After much crying, hugging and kissing, Misty set off on her Gyarados towards Cerulean City, sad about leaving her family, terrified about meeting her end, but happy that her son would have the chance to live the life she had always wanted him to have.

Katoshi stood at the door, crying. After several minutes, Ash approached him, placing a reassuring hand on Katoshi's shoulder.

"I know this is hard son," Ash said, he too struggling to hold back tears. "But you are the future. And we have to make sure you are ready to face Giovanni."

Katoshi simply nodded his head. While the sadness was overwhelming, he also felt as renewed reason to fight; to avenge his family, who have now been separated due to the heinous actions of Giovanni.

"Alright son, grab your gear," Ash stated. "The most important part of your training is about to begin."

"What are we going to practice today? Dragonair is rested and ready to go!" Katoshi said.

"You won't be needing Dragonair," Ash said. "This training is for you alone. You and I are descendent from a group of people known as the Aura Guardians. We have the ability to harness and control aura, which we can use to create barriers, as well as to attack. The key to drawing it out is to find yourself in a life or death situation, in which there appears to be no way out."

"How will we do that?" Katoshi asked.

"By enlisting my help," a voice replied.

"Welcome back, Mewtwo. Thanks for coming," Ash stated.

"It's my pleasure," Mewtwo replied.

"How will you be helping me, Mewtwo?" Katoshi asked.

"Simple," Metwo replied. "I will be your opponent."

**To be Continued in Chapter 5: Awakening**

**(To be Released on May 26****th****, 2012)**


	6. Awakening

**Chapter 5: Awakening**

"Battle you?" Katoshi asked. "How am I supposed to do that without using my Pokémon?"

"By unleashing your aura son," Ash explained. "You can't always rely on Pokémon to fight. Sometimes, you have to enter the fray yourself."

"But what is aura?" Katoshi asked. "How can I awaken something when I don't know what it looks like?"

"Fair enough," Ash replied. "Stand back and watch."

Katoshi took several steps backward, ash Ash's body began to glow a faint blue. The aura began to dissipate from his body, collecting between his two outwardly stretched hands, forming a bright ball of energy. With a short shout, the energy rocketed away from Ash, plowing right through a tree before exploding.

Katoshi looked on in amazement. "I thought only Pokémon could do that!" Katoshi exclaimed.

"Normally that's correct," Ash stated. "Remember, we are descendants from a very special group of people. This is not a tactic that just any human can utilize. It was extremely rare before Giovanni went on his path of destruction; only about 4 people had the potential to utilize it. Now, with only Kanto left, it is very likely that you and I are the only ones left with this ability."

"Not only will I be your opponent Katoshi," Metwo stated. "But I will also be using my Trick Room technique in order to prevent outside interference, as well as to alter time and space. We will be in the Trick Room for 7 real days; however, 14 days will have passed in the Trick Room. For someone who has never experienced using aura to become proficient at it, 14 days is the bare minimum amount of time required. To ensure that it is enough, I will be pushing you very hard. Are you ready, Katoshi?"

"As ready as I'll ever be," Katoshi replied.

"Good, then we shall begin," Mewtwo stated. Mewtwo's eyes glowed a deep purple and in an instant, both he and Katoshi disappeared.

"Good luck son," Ash said to himself. "I'm proud of you."

In reality, mastering aura did not need 14 days. A trainer of such natural ability as Katoshi could probably get a strong handle on it in just a few days. The Trick Room did give him more time, which is always an asset. However, the main reason for its use was to stop Katoshi from witnessing what was sure to unfold in Cerulean City.

…_**In the Trick Room…**_

"Welcome," Mewtwo bellowed. "This is the Trick Room. I have shaped it into the image of a forest, which will provide you with ample protection, as well as food for hunting. Your goal is twofold: to master your aura, and to survive. Prepare, Katoshi, for the 2nd hardest fight of your life."

With that, Mewtwo disappeared. The forest was very dark and ominous, with a blanket of fog ever-present. Katoshi resolved that the first thing he needed to do was build a shelter. Using large leaves and sticks, he set to work creating a basic tent, as well as a fire pit. 3 hours later, he was set up and ready.

"Not too shabby!" Katoshi said to himself. "This should hold for a couple of weeks."

"Well done Katoshi," Mewtwo said.

Katoshi looked around, but couldn't see where he was. "Show yourself Mewtwo!" Katoshi yelled.

"If I did that, I'd be taking it easy on you," Mewtwo replied. "You have successfully created your shelter. Now, you must defend it!"

"Wait, wh-" Katoshi shouted, before an energy ball exploded in front of him, knocking him backwards. Before he could get to his feet, another energy ball exploded just inches from his head, sending him flipping along the ground. Bruised and bleeding, Katoshi looked up to see his tent on fire; all of his work gone in an instant.

Mewtwo teleported in front of Katoshi and shouted, "stand up, Katoshi!" Slowly, Katoshi rose to his feet, anger and determination in his eyes.

"Good, that's the kind of look I want to see," Mewtwo said. "Now we can fight."

Breathing heavily, Katoshi stared right into Mewtwo's eyes.

"Bring it."

**To be Continued in Chapter 6: Misty's Last Dance**

**(To be Released on May 27th, 2012)**


	7. Misty's Last Dance

**Chapter 6: Misty's Last Dance**

Mewtwo teleported several feet backwards, before hurling an energy ball towards Katoshi. Katoshi dodged the energy, but Mewtwo's speed was proving to be too much. With every successful dodge, a second energy ball would strike him before he had the chance to regain his balance. He was hurt, and couldn't keep this up for long.

Suddenly, a massive beam of psychic energy exploded towards Katoshi. "Shit!" he said, as he put his arms in front of his face in a desperate attempt to block the attack. The psybeam collided, and Katoshi was sent flying backwards, crashing through several trees before landing hundreds of feet away.

Fading in and out of consciousness, Katoshi struggled to get to his feet. Through his one non-swollen eye, he could see Mewtwo slowly walking towards him. Using every aching muscle, Katoshi managed to get to his feet.

"I must say, I'm disappointed Katoshi," Mewtwo said. "I was sure that you'd have at least conjured an aura by now. You've been awake for 48 straight hours in this world, and all you've achieved is a beating. Do you wish to give up?"

"N…never," Katoshi said weakly, barely able to remain upright.

"As you wish, Katoshi," Mewtwo replied. With that Mewtwo charged another energy ball. This time, however, the energy surrounded his fist and he lunged towards Katoshi at full speed.

"Come on, Katoshi," Katoshi said to himself. "You can do this. For mom; for dad; for everyone that has died; and for everyone that will die again unless I stop him!"

Katoshi's eyes began to glow. Just as Mewtwo's punch was about to make contact, Katoshi extended his hands, and a powerful barrier erupted out of nowhere, stopping the attack and sending Mewtwo flying backwards.

"I…I will not…lose," Katoshi shouted. But the previous attacks had been too much, and he collapsed from pain and exhaustion. Mewtwo walked over to Katoshi, picking him up and brining him to his base; a small cave near the centre of the Trick Room world.

"Well done, Katoshi," Mewtwo said. "Your parents would be so proud."

…**Cerulean City…**

Water trainers from across the Kanto region had gathered in Cerulean City. They were all training hard, eager to be as ready as possible for when the creature arrived. The Kanto Resistance had lost contact with its scouting team. Initial estimates had the creature arriving in 5 more days. But with the scouting team gone, they had no way of knowing for sure when Giovanni would arrive. It added a great deal of added tension to the situation.

Misty, upon her arrival, took command of the situation. Her plan was to teach electric attacks to any and all water Pokémon that could learn them; the hope being that the water attacks would conduct the electricity to inflict as much damage as possible. It wasn't anything fancy, but the goal was to hurt.

Suddenly, a massive explosion was heard to the East, coming from the Power Plant. All of Cerulean City suddenly went dark.

"Field Commander Misty, Field Commander Misty, do you copy?" a voice said over the field radio.

"This is Misty, what is the situation?" Misty replied.

"It's here! The creature has attacked the Power Plant, and has knocked out power to most of Kanto. I repeat. The creature is he-" there was a loud explosion, and then silence. Misty, and everyone around her, looked solemnly towards the ground. They thought that they had more time.

"Everyone!" Misty shouted. "Half of our forces, led by my sisters, will advance along Route 9 and defend the Pokemon Centre near Rock Tunnel at Route 10. That will likely be where he strikes first. If he does go straight on to Cerulean City, the other half, led by me, will be here to defend the city. I haven't known many of you for long, but it has been great training with you. Good luck, and may good triumph over evil!" Misty shouted to a roaring applause. Truthfully, Misty felt awful about her speech. She knew that they couldn't win, and felt bad giving these trainers false hope. But if they were going down, she wanted to make sure they gave Giovanni as much of a fight as possible.

Team A advanced towards Route 10. Only 30 minutes after they left, the battle was raging. Route 10 was ideal as many of the trainers' Pokémon needed to be near water, of which there was plenty. Explosions rang out, as screams and cries echoed through the air. The Cerulean Sisters did their best to lead, but with no decisive leader, they had no chance. After just 30 minutes, there was silence. Every Trainer was dead. Every Pokémon was absorbed.

"EVERYONE, GET TO YOUR STATIONS!" Misty shouted. All of the Trainers got to their positions, many on rooftops ready to strike from above. Moments later, Giovanni arrived. Misty got her first real look at the deformed freak that he had become. He had Giovanni's face, but every other part of his body was covered in scales. His hands were sharp talons, and his feet resembled that of a Nidoking. His body was soaked in, and reeked of, blood. As he marched through Cerulean City, a lone Trainer stood in front of him, staring him down as hard as she could.

"Giovanni," Misty spoke. "You're actions are an abomination of science and humanity. We, the water trainers of Cerulean City, are here to stop you, or die trying. Prepare for the fight of your life!" With that, Misty sent out her Pokémon: 2 Starmies, a Gyarados, a Vaporeon, a Politoad and a Golduck. Golduck started the battle with Disable, momentarily stopping Giovanni. Politoad, Vaporeon and every water Pokémon that the Cerulean Trainers had at their disposal hit Giovanni with Hydro Pump, while Gyrados, the 2 Starmies, and every electric-capable Pokémon struck Giovanni with a massive Thunder attack. A huge explosion rang out throughout the city, shattering every window and levelling some buildings. Trainers and Pokémon alike were thrown back hundreds of feet. As the Trainers and their Pokémon rose to their feet, the smoke began to clear; and there stood Giovanni, completely unscathed.

"My turn," Giovanni stated. Suddenly, a Supersonic wave began emanating from Giovanni, causing everyone to fall to their knees, covering their ears in pain. Momentarily distracted, the bloodbath began. Flamethrowers, Hyper Beams, Thunderbolts, Tri Attacks; every move conceivable was hurled at the Trainers and their Pokémon, as Cerulean City burned around them. Despite their best efforts, they too were defeated in just 30 minutes.

Slowly, the last Trainer standing, Misty, rose to her feet. All around her were human bodies; no Pokémon, as they had all been absorbed, including hers. She began walking towards Giovanni, as he laughed manically at the chaos around him. Tears of sadness and rage swelled up in Misty's eyes.

"You may have conquered this world, Giovanni," Misty spoke. "But there are others. And you will be stopped. That is a promise."

"Silly Misty," Giovanni said, raising his arm, "I gave up conquering years ago. Now, I just want to watch it all burn."

A massive Hyper Beam exploded from his arm, striking Misty at point-blank range, as her limp and lifeless body fell to the ground. Cerulean City had fallen.

**To be Continued in Chapter 7: Pewter City Panic**

**(To be Released on May 29****th****, 2012)**


	8. Pewter City Panic

**Chapter 7: Pewter City Panic**

The satellite images blared across the television in the Ketchum house. The Cerulean Gym had collapsed, the Pokémon Centre was on fire, and even the Bike Shop was in ruin. Ash's teeth were chipping under the strain of rage. Without warning, he punched a fist straight through the wall next to the television set. Tears began flowing freely from his eyes.

"Misty…" Ash cried. "What has that bastard done to you?" Pikachu looked up at Ash with concern and sadness. "I loved you so much. I'm sorry I couldn't protect you. But I will protect our son. I swear it."

3 days had passed since Katoshi and Mewtwo entered the Trick Room. That meant that the Kanto Resistance needed to hold off Giovanni for at least another 4 days to give Katoshi the time he needs. Given how quickly he destroyed Cerulean City, 4 days was asking an awful lot.

…**Inside the Trick Room…**

"You can't block forever!" Mewtwo shouted, throwing ball after ball of energy at Katoshi. In response, Katoshi was putting up barrier after barrier to stop the attacks from connecting.

"Concentrate your energy! Condense it into a small package and then release it!" Mewtwo yelled, without letting up on his relentless assault.

Katoshi was getting irritated. "How the Hell am I supposed to concentrate when I'm under attack?" he thought to himself. Determined, he came up with a plan. Eyes closed, he kept his arms outstretched, maintaining the barrier while concentrating as much of his energy as possible. Slowly, a ball of energy began to form outside of the barrier. Suddenly, the barrier collapsed, and its entire aura entered the energy ball.

"Eat this!" Katoshi yelled, firing the energy ball at Mewtwo. Mewtwo, exhausted from his relentless assault, was unable to put up a barrier, and could only put his arms up to try to brace for the impact. The energy exploded, sending Mewtwo crashing to the ground.

Tired, Katoshi slowly walked towards the fallen Pokémon. "Are you alright?" Katoshi asked.

"I've been better," Mewtwo replied. "That was an impressive attack, Katoshi. You inherit your strength from your father."

"Thanks!" Katoshi replied, blushing slightly.

"We have another week in this world," Mewtwo said. "Let's call it a day. Be sure to get lots of rest; you have only learned to use your aura; you are a long way from mastering it."

"Yes sir!" Katoshi replied, as he headed back to his camp, which Mewtwo had been kind enough to leave standing this time.

Mewtwo looked up at the sky. He could sense Ash's anger; Cerulean City had surely fallen. Things were progressing even faster than he had imagined. They had to prepare quickly.

**...Pewter City…**

"Field Commander Brock!" a Trainer shouted. "The creature has exited Mount Moon! He's heading this way!"

"Have we evacuated all non-Trainers to Viridian City?" Brock asked.

"Yes sir!" the Trainer replied. "Only Rock-type Pokémon, their Trainers, and Nurse Joy remain in Pewter City!"

"As much as I would love to spend these last moments with Nurse Joy, my friends would be pretty disappointed in me for not putting up a fight!" Brock chuckled to himself. "Everyone, listen up! The plan is to try to stop the creature on Route 3, thus preventing it from getting to the city. As long as we can hold Route 3, we can maintain access to the Pokémon Centre, and hopefully keep our Pokémon healed up. Let's give it everything we've got!"

The crowd of Trainer cheered as they all released their Pokémon. An army of Rock-type Pokémon charged towards Route 3, setting up a living barricade to prevent the creature from getting through. Brock stood front and centre with his 6 strongest Pokemon: Steelix, Golem, Kabutops, Omastar, Aerodactyl and Rhydon. Moments later, a blast of energy came shooting towards them.

"Everyone, use Rock Throw to stop the attack!" Brock yelled. Rocks flew forward, each slowing the energy until it finally exploded safely away from the Trainers.

The creature was finally in view; its appearance disgusted Brock. "You're Giovanni! What the Hell have you done to yourself?" Brock asked.

Frowning, Giovanni replied, "Nice to see you too, Brock. Such a rude welcome; I would have expected better manners from you."

"Monsters like you deserve no niceties!" Brock shouted. "Everyone, use Sandstorm!" A wall of sand was generated by the Pokemon as it barrelled through Giovanni, knocking him off balance and impairing his vision."

"Good! Now, everyone use Fissure!" Brock shouted. A massive crack formed in the Earth. Giovanni, unable to see the impending attack, had no way of knowing what was coming. The crack travelled quickly towards Giovanni, and before he could react, the Earth opened beneath him, sending him falling below as he screamed. The Earth repaired itself, trapping Giovanni.

Brock was in disbelief. They had done it! They had succeeded where everyone else had failed! But something wasn't right. All of the Pokemon still seemed on edge. As if they knew something was wrong. Suddenly, the Earth began to shake, and Giovanni burst from the ground, sporting wings that appeared similar to that of a Charizard.

"Aww, did I disappoint you?" Giovanni said. "My apologies. Don't let it bother you too much; you'll all be dead soon anyway." With that, the death toll began to climb. Giovanni started with Sheer Cold, which paralysed the field and left many Pokemon frozen solid.

"A bit cold for you?" Giovanni shouted. "Let me warm things up then!" Giovanni used Razor Leaf to blanket the area in foliage, and then used a massive Flamethrower to set everyone and everything on fire.

Trainers and Pokemon that could get away retreated to Pewter City; most of their defense team was now gone. Hurt and singed, they were too outnumbered to utilize the Pokemon Centre; they needed everyone if they were going to have any chance at all.

"Everyone, form a semi-circle around the Route 3 entrance! This is our last chance!" Brock shouted.

Slowly surveying the carnage he created, Giovanni moved towards Pewter City. As he reached the end of Route 3, he found himself mostly surrounded.

"NOW!" Brock shouted, as every Pokemon they had used Rock Wrecker simultaneously. Giovanni was sent flying backwards down Route 3. All of the Pokemon were exhausted, so this was truly their last ditch effort.

From the smoke, Giovanni marched forward towards Pewter City. "You know, I've had about enough of this crap!" Giovanni shouted. "Now DIE!"

Giovanni rose into the air, and fired a massive Hyper Beam at the Trainers and their Pokemon. They had no chance; lifeless bodies flew everywhere, as the spirit energy of the Pokemon was absorbed by Giovanni. Another Hyper Beam, and all of Pewter City was in flames.

"A-Ash…forgive me, Ash…I…I did my best." Brock sputtered as his life faded away.

"And another one bites the dust!" Giovanni said with a sadistic grin. "Next up is Viridian City, and then my real prize: Pallet Town. I'm coming for you Ash Ketchum! Try and stop me now!"

**To be Continued in Chapter 8: Gary's Trump Card**

**(To be Released on May 30****th****, 2012)**


	9. Gary's Trump Card

**Chapter 8: Gary's Trump Card**

Smoke rose into the sky from Pewter City. Even with Viridian Forest obscuring the view, those in Viridian City were still able to see thee chaos. The explosions had subsided, and communication with Brock had been lost. Gary knew that Pewter City had fallen.

"Everyone, listen up!" Gary shouted. "I have a plan in place, but it will take some time for it to come together. In the meantime, we need to hold the creature at bay for as long as possible. Any Trainers with small Ground-type Pokemon are to leave your larger Pokemon here in Viridian City and proceed as Wave I into Viridian Forest. We can use the lush trees to launch guerilla attacks at the creature. Your larger Pokemon, along with Wave II of the defense, will be waiting at Route 2 to stop any advance towards Viridian City. Should they too fall, Wave III containing the absolute strongest Pokemon we have, will be waiting in Viridian City to defend it to the death. Women and children without Pokemon are being evacuated to Pallet Town; there, a ferry will take you to the Seafoam Islands, where you will hopefully be safe. Men without Pokemon will be given guns and ammunition to attack the creature as best they can. I wish all of you the best of luck, and as I said before, the Kanto Resistance is the only thing standing between the creature and the end of the world. So let's not go down without a fight!"

There was no cheering from the crowd. Everyone looked solemn and defeated. The creature had taken out 2 cities in 90 minutes; the only reason it wasn't in Viridian City already was because it was resting…or was toying with them.

Wave I rushed into Viridian Forest, using smaller Pokemon like Cubone, Marrowak, Sandshrew and Sandslash to conceal as best as possible in the trees. Suddenly, a massive Hyper Beam shot straight through Viridian Forest, creating a large path down the middle, and dividing the forest in two. The Trainers and their Pokemon used sand to extinguish some of the small flames that were created as a result of the attack, before taking positions near the newly carved path.

The Pokemon with high Attack moved in for a close attack with Drill Run, while those with high Special Attack stayed back and used Earth Power to try to damage and immobilize the creature. Giovanni was taken back at first, but regained his composure quickly.

"Your attack strategy is wise," Giovanni said. "However, it is based on outdated knowledge of my abilities." With that, wings once again erupted from Giovanni's body. "Now, witness TRUE power!"

Giovanni rose into the air, before shooting two massive Fire Blast attacks, one for each side of the forest, which was now engulfed in flames. Panicked, the surviving Trainers and Pokemon fled to Route 2 to join up with Wave II; 80% of the team had perished.

"Captain Gary, Wave I has been mostly eliminated! The survivors have joined up with Wave II, but there aren't many," a voice on the radio shouted.

"Dammit," Gary thought to himself. "I need more time for my plan to work!"

"Listen up," Gary spoke into the radio. "You need to hold Giovanni back for as long as possible. If, after 30 minutes, the battle is not going well, you can retreat at that point. Do you understand?"

"Y…yes sir!" the voice replied nervously. Moments later, Giovanni emerged from the torched remains of Viridian Forest, having thoroughly absorbed the energy of every Pokemon in there, captured or wild. Wave II rushed forward, with Donphans, Phanpys, Rhyhorns, Nidorinos and Nidorinas leading the charge, among others. The plan was to attack quickly and often, while being as relentless as possible to keep Giovanni at bay. At first, the plan seemed to be working. They were too fast for Giovanni to counter, and they were suffering few loses. However, the Pokemon could only keep up their assault for so long. 15 minutes in, the battle began to turn. The exhausted Resistance Pokemon couldn't maintain their assault, and one-by-one they began to fall; their energy flowing right into Giovanni, who was only getting stronger as the battle progressed. 30 minutes in, the Resistance had achieved their goal of holding Giovanni off, but at a terrible cost; there were no survivors.

As Giovanni marched into Viridian City, Trainers and Pokemon lined the streets ready to fight. Front and centre was Gary Oak, in full military regalia.

"I always had a feeling that you were behind this Giovanni," Gary said. "Only you would be twisted enough to do something like this."

"You're just as rude as Brock was," Giovanni replied. "And guess what? Brock's dead now. And you will be too in just a few moments."

"How are you so sure?" Gary replied with his trademark cocky grin.

"Because," Giovanni replied. "I am the most powerful being in th-"

***BOOM***

A massive beam of energy struck Giovanni in the side, sending him flying into a small hillside. The Viridian Trainers looked for the source of the blast, while Gary's grin grew even wider. Suddenly, a Dragonite landed hard on the ground, a Trainer on its back. The Trainer disembarked.

"Welcome to Hell Lance," Gary said.

"Glad to be here," Lance replied, as Giovanni rose back to his feet.

"You'll pay for that you son of a bi-"

***BOOM***

A massive blast of fire, electricity and solar energy struck Giovanni from behind, causing him to fall flat on his face, as 3 more Trainers arrived on the scene.

"Blaine, Erika, Surge," Gary spoke. "Glad you all could make it!"

"Wouldn't miss this for the world!" Surge replied, as Giovanni once again rose to his feet.

"What the Hell is this?" Giovanni yelled.

"Dewgong, Jynx," a voice shouted. "Use Ice Beam!"

The Pokemon fired massive beams of ice, momentarily freezing Giovanni to the ground. The Trainer was none other than Lorelei of the Elite Four. Suddenly, Bruno and his Hitmonchan, Hitmonlee and Hitmontop arrived on the scene, as they all hit Giovanni with their signature attacks, shattering the ice and sending Giovanni backwards. Just as Giovanni was about to hit the Pokemon Centre, he was stopped in mid-air by Psychic energy; Sabrina's Alakazam, Koga's Hypno and Agatha's Gengar were holding Giovanni in the air. They then threw him towards the sky before sending him crashing to the ground, creating a large crater.

Once again, a battered Giovanni rose to his feet. "You thought I would be your only Gym Leader opponent today, Giovanni?" Gary asked. "You underestimate me. I've brought the whole cavalry! Every Gym Leader and Elite Four Member still standing is making their last stand here today. Really Giovanni, you should be thanking me! I've made your job a lot easier now; that is, assuming you survive!"

Giovanni surveyed the battlefield. Lance, Agatha, Bruno, Lorelei, Gary, Blaine, Sabrina, Koga, Erika and Surge, as well as a large group of Ground-type Trainers, stood before him. It was winner-take-all, with the fate of the world on the line.

**To be Continued in Chapter 9: Kanto's Final Hour**

**(To be Released on May 31****st****, 2012)**


	10. Kanto's Final Hour

**Chapter 9: Kanto's Final Hour**

Giovanni chuckled to himself. "I must admit," he shrugged. "I was certainly not expecting this."

"As you'll soon see, I'm full of surprises." Gary replied.

"Funny," Giovanni said. "I was about to say the same thing."

Suddenly, a ring of psychic energy raced towards Gary, who was then flung through the window of a small house, rendering him unconscious. With that attack, all Hell broke loose. All of the Gym Leaders and Elite Four members called upon their 6 strongest Pokemon. There were Gengars, Dragonites, Machamps, Dewgongs, Arcanines, Alakazams, Venemoths, Raichus, and dozens more. The combined strength of these Pokemon would easily overwhelm a lesser opponent. But against Giovanni, they weren't so successful.

While all of the Trainers attacked at once, Giovanni was more selective, using barriers to prevent damage while targeting Pokemon one at a time, absorbing them along the way. Surge was first, with his Electrode made to self-destruct by Giovanni's psychic power. After absorbing Electrode, Giovanni took out and absorbed Surge's Electivire, Magnezone, Jolteon, Pikachu and even his mighty Raichu. Having absorbed his Pokemon, Giovanni saw no reason for Surge's existence, sending a massive Hyper Beam straight towards him, killing him instantly.

Lance desperately tried to coral the Trainers. Rather than attack from all sides or in waves, he called for one massive attack, with every Pokemon attacking head-on with their strongest attacks. Giovanni extended his arms to form a barrier, bracing for the impact. However, the strength of the blast was much stronger than he had anticipated. The massive blast shattered the barrier, striking Giovanni in the chest before engulfing him in a massive explosion.

All of the Trainer's Pokemon panted heavily; many even collapsed from exhaustion. As the smoke cleared, the desperate Trainers were stunned by what they saw; Giovanni was still standing, and aside from a rather large wound on his chest, seemed no worse for wear.

"Aww, I'm sorry," Giovanni said mockingly. "This must be so disappointing to you. Well, I'm afraid it's about to get even more depressing."

With that, Giovanni sent out Psychic rings that sought out any of the fainted Pokemon. The rings then wrapped around the Pokemons' necks and suffocated them before absorbing their power. The absorbed power then healed the only damage that Kanto's finest had been able to inflict.

Every remaining Trainer had just one Pokemon left. They had gone from a feeling of confidence, to one of dread and despair. They now had to come to terms with the situation: they were all going to die.

…**Inside the Trick Room…**

Mewtwo suddenly froze in shock. He had sensed a massive energy that had suddenly been extinguished almost instantly. The training with Katoshi had been progressing well, but they still needed more time. Mewtwo decided that drastic action was necessary.

Katoshi was training by shooting Aura Blasts at trees. His strength had grown significantly, going from barely making a scratch on one tree, to destroying several in a single attack. Suddenly, through the corner of his eye, Katoshi saw a fist heading towards him. He had no time to react, and upon impact, Katoshi was sent flying backwards.

Katoshi quickly got back on his feet. "What the Hell was that for?" Katoshi yelled.

"Things are moving far too quickly. You have grown strong, but you are not strong enough to take on Giovanni. I am going to hit you with everything I have. If you can defeat me…no, if you can survive, I will deem you ready to face Giovanni." Mewtwo replied.

Mewtwo immediately sent a massive blast of energy at Katoshi, who barely had the time to create a barrier to block it. As the explosion knocked him back, Mewtwo appeared behind him and fired another, perhaps larger blast, striking Katoshi hard in the back and sending him forward. Before he could hit the tree he was careening towards, he would caught by Mewtwo you dangled him helplessly before firing a Shadow Ball at his chest at point-blank range. Katoshi collapsed to the ground, coughing up blood.

…**Pallet Town…**

Ash sat outside with his Pokemon, along with Katoshi's Dragonair, admiring the massive sphere of energy that was the outer appearance of the Trick Room. News reports were already coming in about the bloodbath in Viridian City. Reporters were talking like it was the end of days; it was hard to disagree with them.

Ash could sense that Katoshi was fighting for his life. Though concerned, he had faith that his son could pass Mewtwo's training. Besides, if he died, he would be no worse off than if he confronted Giovanni unprepared.

Suddenly, Dragonair began to call out to the Trick Room, sensing Katoshi's pain. Dragonair flung herself at the Trick Room, desperately trying to break through, but to no avail. Suddenly, Dragonair let out a massive cry and began to glow a bright white colour that Ash had seen many, many times in his life; Dragonair was evolving.

Out of the bright light rose a powerful Dragonite, and she was more determined than ever to help her Master. Slowly, Dragonite began taking in massive amounts of energy, forming a large ball in its mouth before firing a point-blank Hyper Beam at the Trick Room. Dragonite was relentless, as wave after wave of energy exploded from its mouth. Finally, the beam broke through, and Dragonite flew into the Trick Room, which re-sealed itself behind her.

…**Inside the Trick Room…**

Katoshi lay on the ground, clinging to life. Suddenly, a large explosion erupted from deep in the forest. As Mewtwo went to check on the source of the noise, a massive Hyper Beam flew towards him, knocking him backwards. Dragonite flew towards them, standing between Katoshi and Mewtwo.

Katoshi looked up in shock. "D-Dragonair," he said weakly. "Is that you?"

Dragonite looked back and nodded, before turning her attention back to Mewtwo, who had regained his composure. Mewtwo's face was one of absolute shock; no Pokemon had ever penetrated his Trick Room, or any of his barriers for that matter. This Dragonite was incredibly powerful.

"Very well," Mewtwo said. "Taking into consideration the strength of your Dragonite, and the limited amount of time we have left, I Mewtwo declare that you have graduated from my training."

Mewtwo approached Katoshi and healed him, as Dragonite watched on anxiously. Slowly, Katoshi rose to his feet.

"Prepare yourself, Katoshi," Mewtwo said. "We're leaving the Trick Room momentarily. I recommend that you use tonight to spend time with your father. As of tomorrow, you live out your life in the past."

…**Viridian City…**

The bodies of the Trainers were tossed in every direction, as almost every building was set ablaze. Giovanni was especially sure to burn down his old Gym, which he had come to despise. Every Gym Leader and Elite Four member had failed, and all of their Pokemon were now a part of his being. As he marched south towards Route 1, a single figure stood in his way: Gary Oak.

"Giovanni," Gary said. "You truly are a sick Son of a Bitch."

"Ha!" Giovanni laughed. "Come now, Gary. You're only just finding this out about me?"

"I always knew you were sick, but this is unforgivable," Gary replied. "I hope you burn in Hell."

"That's nice Gary," Giovanni replied. "Now, do you have any Pokemon for me to absorb, or can I just move on to killing you."

"I tossed my Pokeballs in one of the fires you created," Gary replied. "I would rather they die in peace than become a part of you"

"Ah, a noble choice," Giovanni replied. "I would expect nothing less from you. Goodbye, Gary"

With that, a small, thin PsyBeam shot from Giovanni's finger, piercing Gary in the chest.

"Aww, you thought I would kill you quickly?" Giovanni stated. "No, I'm going to leave you here to suffer and die a nice, slow, painful death."

"You…bastard," Gary sputtered as blood erupted from his mouth. As he slipped in and out of consciousness, Gary watched as Giovanni marched down Route 1, destination: Pallet Town.

**To be Continued in Chapter 10: Dearly Departed**

**(To be Released on June 16****th****, 2012)**


	11. Dearly Departed

**Chapter 10: Dearly Departed**

"Dad!" Katoshi yelled as he ran and embraced his father.

"Hello son," Ash replied. "I'm so proud of you!"

They hugged for several minutes, each not wanting to let the other go. Finally, Mewtwo interjected.

"While Katoshi has mastered his abilities, and his Dragonite has proven itself to be extremely powerful," Mewtwo said, "there are still further preparations to be made."

"Right," Ash replied. "We'll discuss it over dinner. Katoshi, I made your favourite."

"Awesome!" Katoshi replied. "Magikarp Curry!"

As Ash , Katoshi and Mewtwo sat down at the table, the topic quickly turned to strategy. Katoshi was the first to speak.

"You know, I've been aware of this plan for months now," Katoshi said. "That I would train here and go back in time to create a better, alternate future. However, you've never really explained to be how it is that I will be going back in time. I don't see a time machine anywhere around here."

"I suppose we haven't quite brought that up with you, have we Katoshi." Mewtwo said. "Ash, why don't you bring it in?"

"Sure." Ash replied, as he headed towards his bedroom. A few moments later, he returned with a small box. Slowly, Ash opened it to reveal a Pokeball unlike any that Katoshi had seen before. It was gold on the top half, silver on the bottom half, and had the letters "GS" engraved on the front. Ash handed the ball to Mewtwo.

"This, Katoshi, is the GS Ball." Mewtwo stated. "It is from the Shrine of the Protector in Illex Forest. For years, several people have tried to open it to unravel its mysteries. However, the only one capable of opening the GS Ball is Mew, the original Pokemon. However, as I am comprised of Mew's DNA, I too can open it and release the Pokemon inside."

Mewtwo held the ball in his paw. Slowly, the ball left his paw, and began levitating in the air. Mewtwo's eyes glowed a deep blue, as did the GS Ball. Suddenly, there was an explosion of bright light. Ash and Katoshi turned away to shield their eyes. Once the light dissipated, a small green Pokemon appeared before the trio.

"That's…that's a Celebi!" Katoshi exclaimed.

"Correct," Mewtwo replied. "Celebi has the ability to travel freely through time. Unfortunately, it draws its power from the life energy of the planet. Due to the massive damage that Giovanni has done, there is only enough life energy for Celebi to send you back in time, with no way of bringing you back. Celebi is our trump card."

Suddenly, there was a massive explosion coming from Route 1; Giovanni was drawing near.

"We're going to have to work quickly," Mewtwo said. "Katoshi, go upstairs and grab your things."

"R-right," Katoshi replied. As Katoshi ran up the stairs, Mewtwo turned towards the door.

"Mewtwo, where are you going?" Ash asked.

"I'm going to hold Giovanni off," Mewtwo replied. "I have given Celebi instruction; it will do as you command."

"But Mewtwo, you can't fight that thing alone!" Ash replied.

"I know," Mewtwo replied. "But I think it's about time that I met my maker one last time." And with that, Mewtwo set off to confront Giovanni, just as Katoshi returned from his room.

"Alright son, are you ready?" Ash asked.

"…I guess…" Katoshi replied, tears swelling up in his eyes.

Ash knelt down and placed a hand on Katoshi's shoulder. "I'm sorry son," Ash stated. "But this is the best that your mother and I could do to ensure that you can live a happy life, and to ensure a better outcome for the future. Always remember how much your mother and I love you, and how proud we are of you. I know you'll be a fine Pokemon Trainer, and we'll always be with you in spirit."

Katoshi broke down sobbing. Ash could hear explosions drawing nearer; Mewtwo and Giovanni were already going at it. Ash shouted for Celebi, who then placed a shoulder on Katoshi before teleporting with him into the past.

…**Route 1…**

"I'm so glad you came to fight me, Mewtwo!" Giovanni yelled as he threw energy ball after energy ball at the Genetic Pokemon.

"I refuse to live in a world wherein you are its Master," Mewtwo replied. "If I can't stop you, I'll happily die!" Mewtwo then created a massive Shadow Ball and threw it at Giovanni, creating a large explosion.

Giovanni shook off the attack without harm. "Your death can be easily arranged," Giovanni replied, as his body began to glow with dark energy. "In fact, I've been saving this attack for you!" The ground began to tremble, and the sky grew even darker. Giovanni stretched out his claw-like hands, and a small deep-black sphere appeared between them.

"Spirit Break!" Giovanni shouted, as the ball rocketed towards Mewtwo. Mewtwo extended his paws to create a barrier, but the sphere passed through and struck Mewtwo in the chest. The sphere then entered Mewtwo, as he collapsed to the ground in agony. The sphere made its way to his heart before exploding inside of him. A massive hole was ripped through Mewtwo chest, as blood began to pour out of his mouth.

Giovanni walked towards the dying Mewtwo. "How did you like that?" Giovanni asked. "It was an attack of my own creation, just for you. I do hope you enjoyed it! I had best be going now. I wish you a long and painful death. So long Mewtwo!" With that, Giovanni walked towards Pallet Town.

Mewtwo closed his eyes to try to sense Katoshi. When he couldn't, he let out a smile, knowing that Katoshi was safe and that his job was done. The last of Mewtwo's life energy left him and followed behind Giovanni to be absorbed.

**To be Continued in Chapter 11: Ash Stands Alone**

**(To be Released on June 27****th****, 2012)**


	12. Ash Stands Alone

**Chapter 11: Ash Stands Alone**

Darkness began to close in around Pallet Town. Trees and plants began to wither and die, as the air grew heavy and cold. A lone figure stood firm in the middle of the deserted town, fists clenched at his side. Ash Ketchum, Kanto's last soldier, was the only one left to stand against Giovanni. All of the inhabitants of Pallet Town, as well as the survivors from Cerulean City, Pewter City and Viridian City had all fled to the Seafoam Islands, in a desperate act of survival. Inhabitants from other Kanto cities were making their way to Fuschia City to board a ship to Cinnabar Island. There was no will left to fight in any of them. Many of them had lost mothers, fathers, sisters, daughters, sons and brothers; their spirits were broken.

Ash stood alone.

"Isn't this nice!" Giovanni gloated as he made his way into Pallet Town. "You're here to welcome me to your home town! You shouldn't have!"

"Cut the crap, Giovanni!" Ash shouted. "You have taken EVERYTHING from me! My friends! My family! My wife! You even made me give up my own son! I WILL KILL YOU, GIOVANNI, OR I WILL DIE FIGHTING!"

"Your death can certainly be arranged, Ash." Giovanni grinned. "Tell me, what Pokemon are you going to start with? Perhaps Charizard? Or maybe your trademark Pikachu? Say, where is the little pain in the ass anyway?"

"As far away from here as I could get him." Ash replied. "None of my Pokemon are here. I would rather die than let them become a part of the monstrosity that you've become!"

Giovanni frowned. "So you mean to say that you've come here simply to die? That's very disappointing Ash. I was hoping to have one last good battle before I ruled this world. But I suppose it can't be helped." Giovanni then raised his arm, as energy began to form in front of his claw-like hand. "Hyper Beam!" Giovanni yelled, as the energy exploded towards Ash, resulting in a large explosion.

When the smoke cleared, Giovanni's grin faded quickly; there stood Ash, completely unharmed, with one arm outstretched in front of him supporting an Aura Barrier.

"I may be alone, but I'm hardly useless." Ash replied. "You wanted a battle? Well you're in for one Hell of a fight!"

With that, Ash charged Giovanni, who was firing off Hyper Beams en masse, each one exploding against Ash's barrier. Once close, Ash charged an Aura Sphere and plunged it deep into Giovanni's abdomen, resulting in a massive explosion, sending Ash flying backwards before smashing into Professor Oak's Lab. When the dust cleared, Ash slowly rose to his feet. His right arm was gone, vaporized in the blast, and he was losing blood quickly. In the distance he saw Giovanni, slumped on one knee and holding his stomach, which had a massive hole in it, with blood pouring rapidly from the wound. Ash began walking towards Giovanni, firing Aura Sphere's from his left hand as he approached.

"This is for Brock!" Ash shouted as an Aura Sphere connected with Giovanni. "This is for Mom! And for Gary! And for Oak!" Ash yelled as each sphere crashed into Giovanni's body. Once close, Ash stood in front of Giovanni with his arm raised in the air as he gathered and focused every remaining bit of his energy. "AND THIS IS FOR MISTY!" Ash shouted as he hurled the sphere right at Giovanni's head. The explosion sent him back a few feet, before landing on his stomach. Smoke and fire billowed from where Giovanni had stood. Ash could no longer move; he had lost a tremendous amount of blood, and had no energy left to use. As he struggled to remain conscious, he saw Giovanni rise from the ashes. His body was battered and bloodied, and he appeared close to death.

"He-he," Ash struggled to speak. "Y-you failed Gi-Giovanni. I-I stopped you. You're done!"

Giovanni stood, coughing up blood as he spoke. "You think….you think you've won?! Don't make me laugh, Ash! You've won NOTHING! Look at this place! Look at Kanto, and Hoen, and Shinnoh, and Johto! All of them are ashes! I have taken from you, and from everyone, EVERYTHING. Don't you see, Ash? I WIN! And now, I am going to cement by victory!"

Suddenly, Giovanni began to rise into the air, as massive amounts of energy began to form around him. "This is the end, Ash Ketchum! I may be dying, but I am taking you and everybody else with me!"

Ash managed to roll onto his back. He tried to fire off another Aura Sphere, but he had no energy left. All he could do is look upwards at the massive ball of energy that was building above him. Tears began to stream down his face, as moments of his life flashed before his eyes. The day he met Misty; his battle against Ritchie at the Indigo League; his victory over Lance in the Orange League; his wedding and honeymoon with Misty; and the birth of his son. All that he loved and cherished was gone. Slowly, the dark ball of energy descended towards him. As he closed his eyes for the final time, a small smile creped across his face.

"_See you soon, Misty," _Ash whispered, as the world suddenly became silent.

**END OF PART I**

**To Be Continued in Chapter 12: Homecoming**

**(To Be Released – Autumn 2012)**


	13. Homecoming

**Chapter 12: Homecoming**

…**Nuvema Town, July 2001…**

"Bye guys!" the young, raven-haired boy yelled as he waived to his friends.

"Pika-pi!" shouted the small yellow rodent that sat on his shoulder.

"Goodbye, Ash! We'll miss you!" shouted Iris, as she, Cilan, Bianca and Professor Juniper waved goodbye to their good friend.

With that, Ash and Pikachu departed, flying on top of Ash's Charizard, visiting from the Charicific Valley. His training there had been paying off, as the trio was soaring across the ocean towards Kanto at record speed. Ash was eager to get back and visit his mom, Misty, Brock, Professor Oak, and even Gary! Having defeated Cynthia and winning the Unova League, he was ready for some rest and relaxation back in Pallet Town.

After a few hours of intense flying, and a small skirmish with a flock of Fearow, Ash touched down in Pallet Town. Ash barely had a chance to get off of Charizard before his mother ran up and embraced him in a tight hug.

"M-mom! Y-you're suffocating me!" Ash protested, as Delila Ketchum finally released her grip.

"I missed you so much, Ash! And I'm so proud of you!" Delila said with tears in her eyes. "And have you been remembering to w-"

"YES MOM! MY UNDERWEAR IS CLEAN!" Ash bellowed, just as a certain red-haired girl came walking around the corner.

"Glad you hear, Ash!" Misty teased, making Ash blush a deep crimson.

"H-hey Misty," Ash replied nervously as Misty embraced him in a tight hug. They held each other for almost a solid minute, before a loud cough interrupted them.

"Sorry to interrupt, but I'm here too you know!" Brock grinned, feigning insult.

"Brock! Good to see you, buddy!" Ash replied.

With that, the three friends entered the Ketchum residence to enjoy a delicious meal. Both Brock and Misty had taken time off from their duties at the Pewter City and Cerulean City Gyms to come and be there for Ash's return. It felt just like the good old days, though they had all grown up quite a bit. Just 12 when they split up after Johto, Ash was now 16, as was Misty, while Brock is 18. It was smiles all around in Pallet Town.

…**Route 1…**

A burst of light erupted from the sky, striking the ground with great force. A small green Pokemon appeared first from the light, followed by Katoshi, who fell to the ground unconscious from the effects of the time travel, with 2 Pokeballs at his side. One was a standard Pokeball, but the other was different. Though it too was red and white, it was adorned with a symbol on the top.

A lightning bolt.

**To Be Continued in Chapter 13: Changes**

**(To be Released – Autumn 2012)**


	14. Changes

**Chapter 13: Changes**

…**Pallet Town…**

"Did you guys see that?!" Ash shouted as he jumped out of his seat at the dinner table.

"I _felt _that!" Misty responded. "Whatever it is, it unleashed a massive amount of energy!"

"It sounds like it came from Route 1!" Brock stated. "Maybe we should investigate."

"Oh…but I just made this dinner." Delilah sighed, resigned to the fact that the trio would be heading out, regardless of what she said.

"I'm sure it's great mom, but we have to check this out!" Ash replied. "I promise we won't be gone long!" And with that, Ash, Misty and Brock took off towards Route 1

…**Route 1…**

Katoshi began to stir. The effects of the time travel were devastating to the human body. He began to look around, and noticed the Pokeballs by his side. Katoshi only ever had one Pokemon, his Dragonite, so the appearance of the second Pokeball, with a lightning bolt on it no less, was very puzzling. Before he could consider things further, he heard several people approaching. Quickly, he hid the Pokeballs and struggled to his feet. He was barely able to stand when Ash and the gang arrived.

"Hey, are you alright?" Ash asked.

Katoshi couldn't reply. He just stood, awe-struck, at the teenagers before him. His father, his mother, and his Uncle Brock were all there, but so much younger. The shock, combined with the effects of time travel, were too much as he collapsed to the ground.

"H-hey, kid! Kid!" Ash shouted as he tried to shake Katoshi awake. "It's no use. Brock, help me bring him back to my house!"

"Right!" Brock replied, as he and Ash carried Katoshi into Pallet Town.

…**Pallet Town…**

"Where did you find him?" Delilah asked as she placed a warm wet cloth over Katoshi's forehead.

"He was in Route 1, barely able to stand." Misty replied. "There was a large crater surrounding him, so he was definitely the source of the energy."

"I wonder where he came from…" Ash pondered. Suddenly, Katoshi's eyes began to stir as he slowly began to regain consciousness.

"Hey, you're awake!" Ash exclaimed. Katoshi's eyes grew wide. Seeing his father as a boy just a few years older than him was a surreal experience. He hadn't anticipated the first encounter to be so difficult.

"My name's Ash!" Ash said cheerfully. "What's your name?"

Katoshi slowly stood up out of the bed.

"What do you think you're doing?" Delilah yelled. "You're not in any state to be walking about."

"My name is Katoshi, and hurt or not, I don't have time to rest up. I'm here because I need your help to prevent the end of the world."

"What?! Ash yelled. "What are you talking about?"

"You want to know more?" Katoshi asked. "Step outside. You and I are going to battle. If you can prove yourself, I'll tell you everything I know. I just hope my dad was right about you."

"You've got some nerve challenging the Unova League Champion!" Ash remarked. "You're on!"

…**Route 1…**

The crater left from Katoshi's arrival still smoldered, and served as the centre of the battlefield. The two trainers stood across from one another, never losing the other's gaze.

"So, how many Pokemon are we using?" Ash asked.

"Two Pokemon each, competing in 2 one-on-one battles" Katoshi replied.

"Sounds good to me!" Ash shouted. "Charizard, I choose you!" The large winged beast burst from the Pokeball with a loud roar and a look of battle-hardened determination.

"My turn!" Katoshi replied. "Dragonite, I choose you!" The large dragon burst from the ball in a glow of white light, gently landing on the ground before letting out a bellowing roar. The two beasts stared each other down, with Charizard looking particularly intent; his multiple run-ins with Dragonites left him eager to battle on any chance he could get.

"Charizard, use Flamethrower!" Ash yelled as Charizard fired a massive flame at Dragonite.

"Dragonite, use Aqua Tail!" Katoshi countered. A cyclone of water formed around Dragonites tail which, as Dragonite swung around, collided with the Flamethrower, shrouding the area in mist.

"Charizard, quick! Use the mist as cover and use Seismic Toss!" Ash yelled. Charizard took advantage of the disoriented Dragonite, grabbing him from behind and carrying him high into the air.

"Dragonite, use Thunder!" Katoshi replied as Ash's eyes grew wide with fear. Suddenly, a massive lightning bolt pierced through both Dragonite and Charizard as they were making their descent from the Seismic Toss. Since Dragonite was part Dragon-type, the damage was much less severe than that of Charizard. However, the resulting paralysis trapped Dragonite in the embrace of Seismic Toss. Suddenly, with a massive THUD, the two behemoths hit the ground, both head first. Neither Pokemon was able to continue.

"Round 1 is a draw!" Brock declared, as both trainers recalled their Pokemon.

"Alright Pikachu! I'm counting on you!" Ash said as he turned to his long-time companion beside him.

"Pika-pika!" Pikachu replied as he walked into the battlefield.

"So, what's your Pokemon going to be?" Ash asked.

"Ha, that's a pretty good question." Katoshi replied, as he pulled out the lightning bolt encrusted Pokeball. Ash immediately recognized the insignia.

"Hey, where did you get that?! Ash shouted.

"It was a goodbye present." Katoshi replied. _And I have a feeling I know what's inside!_ "Go!"

A white light burst from the Pokeball. It had a large, brown body and a long tail with a lightning bolt at the end. Katoshi was in disbelief at the Pokemon that stood before him. The Pokemon turned towards Katoshi, looking him square in the eyes before giving a knowing nod and turning back towards the battle. With that, Katoshi knew there was no doubt. That Pokemon was his father's Pikachu. Except, it wasn't Pikachu anymore. It was…

"Raichu!" The Pokemon bellowed as Round 2 was set to begin.

**To Be Continued in Chapter 14: Testing Potential**

**(To be Released – Spring 2013)**


End file.
